UPDATE 1-Chile's economy registers meager Q4 growth, below forecasts

SANTIAGO, March 18 (Reuters) - Chile's gross domestic
product grew by just 0.1 percent in the fourth quarter from the
prior period, and growth for all of 2015 reached 2.1 percent,
the central bank said on Friday.

The quarter-on-quarter figure was below the 0.3
percent growth that economists in a Reuters poll had expected.

On an annual basis, fourth-quarter growth in
the top copper exporter was 1.3 percent, compared with a 1.6
percent estimate.

The 2015 annual growth reading was slightly higher than the
five-year low of 1.9 percent growth registered in 2014, but
continued weakness in mining investments due to cooling demand
in China and falling copper prices has held back a rebound.

The central bank said mining, fishing and the restaurant and
hotel sector had a negative 2015, although other sectors were
positive.

Copper makes up more than half of Chile's exports by value,
but the country is also an important producer of paper, salmon,
fruit and wine.
(Reporting by Rosalba O'Brien; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn; Editing
by David Goodman)